Freethought & Rationalism Archive

lpetrich · 02-07-2003, 02:33 AM

My favorite examples are French

Sacre bleu! ("Holy blue!")
Parbleu! ("By blue!")

These are manglings of

Sacre Dieu! ("Holy God!")
Par Dieu! ("By God!")

In Italian, there is

Porca Madonna! ("Madonna the Pig!")

Any other favorite examples?

And do any of you like to translate English profanity when you speak other languages? Such as merde de taureau, mierda de toro, merda di toro, Stierscheisse, etc. as appropriate?

never been there · 02-07-2003, 08:34 PM

In Qu�bec, it's old RCC profanity. For example, a favorite is a reference to the communion Host:

H�stie!, or in English: "Aw, Crackers!"

Viti · 02-07-2003, 08:44 PM

My German friend always called me (phoenetically spelled sorry) "blurdes berstchekt", she said it meant dumb eating utensils!

BigBlue2 · 02-08-2003, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lpetrich
And do any of you like to translate English profanity when you speak other languages? Such as merde de taureau, mierda de toro, merda di toro, Stierscheisse, etc. as appropriate?

Well, Stierscheisse would probably get you blank looks, if you tried to use it as a swear word. When Germans mean "Bullshit" they usually say "Quatsch", "Unsinn" or "Bl�dsinn" (nonsense), or "K�se" (cheese). "Scheisse" means shit and the word is usually used in situations when English-speaking people would use it as well. My dad's favourite expression is "zum kotzen ist das alles, verdammt noch mal" ("it's enough to make me vomit, damn it").

And LadyShea, in case you're curious - the correct spelling is "bl�des Besteck".

BB2

Femme Savante · 02-09-2003, 10:57 PM

Okay, okay, I'm a French major and I'm surfing the net in yet another in a long series of diversions in an attempt to avoid my Advanced Composition assignments. But at least I can share some of my favorite argot :

Nom de Dieu de bordel de merde!
Translations :
1. Name of god of bloody hell! (fairly literal.)
2. Goddamn fuckin' shit almighty! (more expressive.)

Chi� de merde!
Translations :
1. Shit of shit!
2. Holy shit!

En chier
Translations :
1. In shit.
2. To go through hell.

Merde alors!
Goddamnit! Holy shit!

Merde is a wonderful word, with all kinds of incarnations. (French slang (argot is wonderfully fluid, like a game.)

Semer la merde (vb) is to stir up shit.
Merder (vb) is to break down.
A merdeux (masc) or a merdeuse (fem) is an asshole (masc) or a bitch (fem).
Merdouille is a crock of shit, roughly the same as, "bullshit".

Sacr� bleu! and Parbleu have fallen into disuse, in my experience. I've never heard anyone use them.

Okay, here endeth the language lesson. Maybe I can find the fortitude to face writing my composition.

M.L.

echidna · 02-09-2003, 11:59 PM

From a Cypriot ex-girlfriend (if you'll pardon a bad transliteration) :

stoncolusu ribani = go stick a radish in your arse
(lit. up your arse with a radish)

I used to work with a mad scotsman who could tell you to "fuck off" in 24 languages.

JohnR · 02-10-2003, 01:38 AM

Merde, what Ballet dancers say to each other before going on stage. Kinda like break a leg.

Psycho Economist · 02-10-2003, 08:36 AM

Not exactly profanity, but in high school, a friend of mine was taking German and Spanish at the same time, our Spanish teacher was a Cuban emigre. He turned in a paper in his senior year, had some mental cross-talk between German and Spanish and made a reference to a mojon, which is Cuban slang for "turd".

Taffer · 02-10-2003, 12:52 PM

Here're some Swiss German ones (Our German Infidels will probably enjoy these the most, so I included the High German translations):

Himu u Scht�rneb�rg nomau - Himmel und Sternenberg nochmal: "Heaven and Star Mountain once again" (I'm not sure about the last bit. I suppose it's meant to repeat the curse while saving your breath, similar to when people say "Thanks a million")

Gopfertami - Gott verdamme mich: "Goddamn me", three words squashed together into one elegant curse.

Gopfridli - Gottes Frieden : "God's Peace" Not sure on this one, but this translation kinda makes sense.

Gopfridstutz - ? : Honestly, I have no idea what this means. A "Stutz" is the common name for one Swiss Franc.

Gang doch id'Migros ga ichoufe: In short, "Go shopping" (The Migros is a general store in this area). I only heard this once, but it's worth a mention.

MadMez · 02-10-2003, 02:45 PM

Well, sort of on topic. I was one of the interpreters on the inner German border (ca. 1989-1990)and used to get a chuckle out of British and US military police saying..

"Does your arse fit you!" vice Sdrastvuit'ye (Hello) and "Dog's vagina!" vice Dosvidanya (Goodbye) to the soviet soldiers who thought they were being "hello'd" and "goodbye'd" by these 'Allies'.

My favorite thing to be called by a German was a "Verfluchte Inselaffe!" as this indicated you'd really done well in the piss a saxon off contest.

02-07-2003, 02:33 AM	#1
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	Funny Profanity in Other Languages My favorite examples are French Sacre bleu! ("Holy blue!") Parbleu! ("By blue!") These are manglings of Sacre Dieu! ("Holy God!") Par Dieu! ("By God!") In Italian, there is Porca Madonna! ("Madonna the Pig!") Any other favorite examples? And do any of you like to translate English profanity when you speak other languages? Such as merde de taureau, mierda de toro, merda di toro, Stierscheisse, etc. as appropriate?

02-09-2003, 10:57 PM	#5
Femme Savante Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: The Desert that is Denver Posts: 56	Some of my French favorites . . . Okay, okay, I'm a French major and I'm surfing the net in yet another in a long series of diversions in an attempt to avoid my Advanced Composition assignments. But at least I can share some of my favorite argot : Nom de Dieu de bordel de merde! Translations : 1. Name of god of bloody hell! (fairly literal.) 2. Goddamn fuckin' shit almighty! (more expressive.) Chi� de merde! Translations : 1. Shit of shit! 2. Holy shit! En chier Translations : 1. In shit. 2. To go through hell. Merde alors! Goddamnit! Holy shit! Merde is a wonderful word, with all kinds of incarnations. (French slang (argot is wonderfully fluid, like a game.) Semer la merde (vb) is to stir up shit. Merder (vb) is to break down. A merdeux (masc) or a merdeuse (fem) is an asshole (masc) or a bitch (fem). Merdouille is a crock of shit, roughly the same as, "bullshit". Sacr� bleu! and Parbleu have fallen into disuse, in my experience. I've never heard anyone use them. Okay, here endeth the language lesson. Maybe I can find the fortitude to face writing my composition. M.L.

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02-07-2003, 08:34 PM	#2
never been there Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 2,144	In Qu�bec, it's old RCC profanity. For example, a favorite is a reference to the communion Host: H�stie!, or in English: "Aw, Crackers!"

02-07-2003, 08:44 PM	#3
Viti Contributor Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Down South Posts: 12,879	My German friend always called me (phoenetically spelled sorry) "blurdes berstchekt", she said it meant dumb eating utensils!

02-09-2003, 11:59 PM	#6
echidna Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 2,832	From a Cypriot ex-girlfriend (if you'll pardon a bad transliteration) : stoncolusu ribani = go stick a radish in your arse (lit. up your arse with a radish) I used to work with a mad scotsman who could tell you to "fuck off" in 24 languages.

02-10-2003, 01:38 AM	#7
JohnR Senior Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Eastern PNW Posts: 572	Merde, what Ballet dancers say to each other before going on stage. Kinda like break a leg.

02-10-2003, 08:36 AM	#8
Psycho Economist Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Peoria, IL Posts: 854	Not exactly profanity, but in high school, a friend of mine was taking German and Spanish at the same time, our Spanish teacher was a Cuban emigre. He turned in a paper in his senior year, had some mental cross-talk between German and Spanish and made a reference to a mojon, which is Cuban slang for "turd".

02-10-2003, 12:52 PM	#9
Taffer Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bern, Switzerland Posts: 348	Here're some Swiss German ones (Our German Infidels will probably enjoy these the most, so I included the High German translations): Himu u Scht�rneb�rg nomau - Himmel und Sternenberg nochmal: "Heaven and Star Mountain once again" (I'm not sure about the last bit. I suppose it's meant to repeat the curse while saving your breath, similar to when people say "Thanks a million") Gopfertami - Gott verdamme mich: "Goddamn me", three words squashed together into one elegant curse. Gopfridli - Gottes Frieden : "God's Peace" Not sure on this one, but this translation kinda makes sense. Gopfridstutz - ? : Honestly, I have no idea what this means. A "Stutz" is the common name for one Swiss Franc. Gang doch id'Migros ga ichoufe: In short, "Go shopping" (The Migros is a general store in this area). I only heard this once, but it's worth a mention.

02-10-2003, 02:45 PM	#10
MadMez Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Bend, OR, USA Posts: 360	Well, sort of on topic. I was one of the interpreters on the inner German border (ca. 1989-1990)and used to get a chuckle out of British and US military police saying.. "Does your arse fit you!" vice Sdrastvuit'ye (Hello) and "Dog's vagina!" vice Dosvidanya (Goodbye) to the soviet soldiers who thought they were being "hello'd" and "goodbye'd" by these 'Allies'. My favorite thing to be called by a German was a "Verfluchte Inselaffe!" as this indicated you'd really done well in the piss a saxon off contest.

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